Minnesota Teacher Licensure

Exams (MTLE)

Presentation by Maureen Prenn

September 12, 2011

I heard…

• If I did not pass one or moresections of the Basic Skills test under Praxis I, I need to retake all three sections under MTLE.

• F a l s e• You only retake the basic skills subtest

you did not pass

I passed all three Basic Skills Tests

under Praxis. Do I need to redo them

under the new tests?

No

Any Basic Skills tests you passed

under Praxis can be used for

licensure until December 31, 2015

The new Basic Skills test

is more difficult.

True

Expectations are higher

• Can I use my Praxis score for

the Content test until December

2015?

• No. Content and Pedagogy

scores taken through Praxis

can only be used until August

2012

Since the Praxis tests are still

offered in Minnesota, can I take

them?

Praxis tests taken in Minnesota after August 31, 2010 cannotbe used in Minnesota now

Which tests are required?

• Basic skills (reading, writing, mathematics)

• Pedagogy for your grade level range

• Content

Note that each licensure field requires a

content exam

Applying for your license

• Advantages of Minnesota licensure

• Moving to other states

• Returning to teaching after a break

• Completed during end of student teaching

How are the tests different

from Praxis?

• Computer-based

• Aligned to Minnesota standards

• Less expensive

• Most not offered on campus

Are all of the tests

computer-based?

• World Language tests are paper-based

• Done here at MSU or paper-based test

centers

MTLE Computer-Based

Testing Centers

MankatoMankato Place

12 Civic Center Plaza

Mankato, MN 56001

Pearson Professional Centers – Bloomington5601 Green Valley DriveSuite 150

Pearson Professional Centers – EaganWashington Drive Executive Center3459 Washington DriveSuite 107

Pearson Professional Centers – Brooklyn ParkTriad Building7101 Northland CircleSuite 102

Pearson Professional Centers – RochesterGreenview Office Building1544 Greenview Drive SWSuite 200

St. Cloud State UniversityAtwood Memorial Center720 4th Ave. S.Testing Center – Room A219

Subtest Difference

• If a candidate passes one subtest on the

pedagogy or content exam, that candidate

does not need to retake the entire exam.

• Suzy Student passes Subtest 3 (science

and social studies) on the elementary

content exam. When she retakes the

exam, she only needs to take Subtest 1

and 2.

Registration

• When registering you make test selection

and pay for the test before you select your

test center and date

• Set dates according to testing window

• http://ed.mnsu.edu/advising/mtle.html

Costs

• $50 annual registration fee

• $25 each subtest for Basic Skills

• $35 each subtest for Pedagogy and

content (minimum of two)

• $28 each subtest for language (two

subtests)

How do we know what is

needed to pass?

• Minnesota Board of Teaching has set cut

scores

• Cut scores are 240 for each subtest

Home page of MTLE

http://www.mtle.nesinc.co

m/Home.aspx

Elementary Content page

http://www.mtle.nesinc.com/T

estView.aspx?f=HTML_FRA

G/MN024_SG.html

Content Exam: Elementary

Education (K-6)

• Multiple choice

• About 50 questions

• Up to an hour

• Three subtests

• T a k e a c l o s e r l o o k

Subject Area Weighting Subtest

Reading 78% Subtest 1

Communication Arts 22% Subtest 1

Mathematics 75% Subtest 2

Health/Fitness and

Fine Arts

25% Subtest 2

Science 56% Subtest 3

Social Studies 43% Subtest 3

Sample questions

• Think aloud with example item

• Try it out

• Answer key

• Where did you go wrong?

Pedagogy Exam

• Multiple choice

• About 50 questions

• Up to an hour

• Two subtests

• T a k e a c l o s e r l o o k

Subject Area Weighting Subtest

Student Development

and Learning

50% Subtest 1

Learning Environment 50% Subtest 1

Instruction and

Assessment

50% Subtest 2

Professional Roles and

Responsibilities

50% Subtest 2

Sample questions

• Think aloud with example item

• Try it out

• Answer key

• Where did you go wrong?

If You Have Not Passed

the Basic Skills Exam

• Talk to Center for Academic Success

• Review your score report to interpret your

weak areas if you are re-taking the test

• Target areas for additional study and/or

tutoring

• Don’t wait until student teaching to retake

Basic Skills

When to Take the Tests

• Pedagogy exam

• Subtests for Content exam for Elementary

can be done at different times

• Middle Level or Pre-primary exams taken

as soon as coursework for area is

complete

Basic Skills

Subtest MSU Pass

Rate

State Pass

Rate

Mathematics 64% 65%

Reading 55% 64%

Writing 59% 61%

MSU Performance

Elementary Content MSU Pass

Rate

State Pass

Rate

Subtest 1 Reading;

Communication Arts

81% 87%

Subtest 2 Math; Fine Arts;

Health Fitness73% 82%

Subtest 3 Science; Social

Studies47% 58%

MSU Performance

Elementary Pedagogy MSU Pass

Rate

State Pass

Rate

Subtest 1 Student Development and Learning; Learning Environment

77% 80%

Subtest 2 Instruction and Assessment; Professional Roles and Responsibilities

75% 82%

• Preparation, preparation, preparation!

• Give it your best performance the

first time out

How to prepare

• General test preparation strategies

– Examine topics

– Consider resources for each topic

– Review topics in depth

– Use of key textbooks

• Tutorial for computer-based testing

• Specific test preparation

• MTLE Expanded Guides, available for Basic Skills, Pedagogy, Elementary Education are featuring sample questions with correct response rationales, annotated test frameworks, a score report interpretation guide, and other helpful study tools.

• NES® Prep, a series of online-based study guides. Students begin with a diagnostic test to determine areas of strength and where more study may be needed. Instructional content, divided into chapters by topic, includes multimedia elements such as videos, and offers abundant exercises to review key concepts. http://www.mtle.nesinc.com.

• There are also 41 full-length, online-based

practice tests available for MTLE

candidates. Students can take the test in

real time or pause and return after

additional study and review during their

30-day access period. To view a sample

test, and learn more, visit

http://www.starttest.com/.

• Codes for these can be purchased in

Barnes and Noble bookstore on campus

Q and A

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